Some Anime Age Poorly, But These Old-School Series Are Better Now Than Ever

When it comes to anime, not every series can age gracefully. Due to advancements in animation techniques, changes in culture, or even the presence of later series in the same franchise, some older anime can end up looking rather dated to modern viewers.

But then there are those anime series which do manage to age like fine wine. These shows were often prescient when it comes to the struggles that society is facing, ensuring that they remain relevant by focusing on core realities of the human experience. Their animation techniques have managed to avoid looking dated, despite technological advancement, and they've remained among anime fans' favorites for a good reason. These series aren't just still good today, but they're arguably even better enjoyed now than they were when they were new. Here are 10 anime series which aged with phenomenal grace.

10 Baccano! (2007)

Based on the light novels by Ryohgo Narita, animated by Brain's Base

Baccano! is an anime series that tell three distinct, yet intertwined stories, taking place across three different time periods. That may make it sound complicated to watch, but the presentation of the series makes it surprisingly easy. The series is primarily set in the early 1930s, during the Prohibition Era, focusing on gangsters and crime families in the US. The plot involves the hijacking of a train, an immortality elixir, and a gang war between two crime families, as well as how these things are connected to one another.

Baccano! can certainly be a challenging watch, but the animation has held up quite well. The 1930s America setting is incredibly unique among anime, and gives the visuals a timeless feeling that avoids becoming dated the way a series set in a more modern time might. It also has some great music, including its big band opening theme.

9 Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007)

Original Anime Series by Gainax

Often shortened to just Gurren Lagann, this series tells the story of Simon and Kamina, two boys who live in a colony deep beneath the Earth’s surface who go on an adventure to see the surface with their own eyes for the first time. On the surface, Simon and Kamina discover a world populated by beastmen, along with a small, ragtag human resistance force. The beastmen use massive mecha, called Gunmen, making them difficult to fight against. Simon and Kamina steal a Gunmen, and the rest is history.

Gurren Lagann was massively influential when it first came out, and while the hype has died down in the years since, it remains a quality series about the importance of hope and believing in each other. The animation in the series is quite stylized, which has helped it to hold up well against the advancement of animation technology.

8 Paranoia Agent (2004)

Original Anime Series by Madhouse

Directed by anime legend Satoshi Kon, Paranoia Agent is a complex story revolving around how urban legends can morph and grow, taking on a life of their own. The story primarily follows Tsukiko Sagi, a character designer behind the Hello Kitty-like hit character, Maromi. Tsukiko is attacked out of nowhere by a mysterious boy on roller skates with a bent baseball bat, and reports the incident to the police. They think she might be lying, but then there’s another victim, and soon “Lil Slugger” takes on a life of his own.

Paranoia Agent is a mind-bending series about how hiding from the truth never works, and how stories can grow far beyond their initial scope. It’s not always clear what’s real and what isn’t, keeping viewers on edge. The animation is quite beautiful, and the story’s concept of truth and lies is far more relevant in today’s cultural climate than it was in 2004.

7 Monster (2005)

Based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa, animated by Madhouse

Monster is a series about a doctor, Kenzo Tenma, who believes his hospital is too biased in who it helps. When a massacre occurs, Tenma opts to save a child instead of the Mayor, causing him to lose social standing. The child he saved disappears, casting suspicion on Tenma, but no evidence points to his involvement. Nine years later, Tenma discovers a criminal being held hostage by none other than the boy he saved. A ruthless killer who feels he owes Tenma, the doctor must put a stop to his killing spree.

Monster is intense and highly dramatic, and was hailed even at the time as one of the best anime of the 2000s. The series has aged quite well, with its animation holding up and excellent voice acting performances. It’s extremely faithful to the manga, allowing the series’ complex plot twists and carefully woven narrative to shine.

6 Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)

Original Anime Series by Gainax

Neon Genesis Evangelion tells the story of Shinji, a young boy who is recruited by his father to pilot a giant mecha, the EVA, against invading aliens known as Angels, whose goal is to wipe out humanity. Shinji is not enthused about this responsibility, and often has to be coerced into getting into the pilot’s seat. Shinji’s mental issues soon take center stage as his mental health degrades from stress, leading to poor decisions that could cost humanity everything.

Evangelion still looks quite good, despite being a 90s anime. Its mecha designs are iconic, and the series has maintained its popularity over the decades. It deals with complex ideas like loneliness, despair, depression, and anxiety, exploring how these affect different characters in different ways. This focus on mental health makes for a shockingly compelling watch, and mental health issues remain a major problem these days, ensuring it stays relevant.

5 FLCL (2001)

Original Anime Series by Gainax, Production I.G., and King Records

FLCL is a comedic series with a sci-fi bent, but it’s mostly a slice of weird, weird life. The story follows Naota Nandaba, who is hit by a woman on a Vespa motorbike and develops a strange lump on his head. It turns out that Naota’s head can be used as a portal to pull objects through, such as the TV-headed robot, Canti. The woman who hit Naota, Haruko Haruhara, comes back into his life as a “maid,” but that’s mostly an excuse to stay close and make use of his portal abilities.

The series is primarily a coming-of-age story, something that’s always relevant. FLCL is legendary for its soundtrack by the Pillows, which is full of fantastic rock songs. It has a very unique, madcap energy to it that’s hard to match with any other series, and even its recent sequels didn’t quite manage to nail the feeling of the original.

4 Serial Experiments Lain (1998)

Original Anime Series by Triangle Staff

Serial Experiments Lain is a bizarre tale, to be sure. The story opens with a young girl killing herself, and then her former classmates receive puzzling emails claiming to be from the dead girl. Lain, who has little experience with computers, becomes interested and starts investigating this situation, leading to the unraveling of a complex mystery that goes down to the very core of the Internet, known here as the Wired. Everything from UFO conspiracies to ancient mysteries plays a role.

Serial Experiments Lain was extremely prescient about the potential dangers of the Internet, and social media in particular. In that way, it’s far more relevant now than it was when it was created, and it may be hard to believe it was really made in 1998. Its slightly futuristic (at the time) setting also helps to keep it from feeling too dated.

3 Yu Yu Hakusho (1992-1994)

Based on the Manga by Yoshihiro Togashi, Animated by Studio Pierrot

Yu Yu Hakusho follows Yusuke Urameshi, a delinquent who died saving a child’s life, who is then given a second chance if he agrees to become a “spirit detective” for the afterlife. Gaining supernatural powers to aid in this goal, Yusuke is sent to defeat demons and investigate spiritual phenomena. As the series continues on, it takes more of a focus on martial arts and has several tournament arcs, some of which are considered the best tournament arcs ever to be animated.

Yu Yu Hakusho was an incredibly influential series, popularizing the use of tournament arcs in anime and manga. The action scenes mostly hold up, despite their age, and considering the time period in which it was produced, it has surprisingly good voice acting. The story is rather tightly packed as well, so unlike Dragon Ball, fans won’t have long stretches of filler to deal with.

2 Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex (2002)

Based on the Manga by Masamune Shirow, Animated by Production I.G.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex tells the story of Public Security Section 9, an anti-terrorist unit in a futuristic Japan where almost everyone has a cybernetic body. Focusing on Major Motoko Kusanagi, the show sees the team investigating “The Laughing Man,” a mysterious hacker who performed a stunt years ago and has seemingly been a menace ever since. The second season deals with a different case, concerning a domestic terrorist group known as the Individual Eleven, who hope to cause refugees in Japan to rise up.

Ghost in the Shell is fantastically animated, and even its use of CGI isn’t particularly dated somehow. The show’s futuristic aesthetic holds up very well, and it’s long been praised as one of the greatest English dubs of an anime series ever. In-depth and thought-provoking, Ghost in the Shell can be quite dense, and often references philosophy and history, encouraging viewers to learn as they watch.

1 Cowboy Bebop (1998)

Original Anime Series by Sunrise

Cowboy Bebop is a sci-fi series following the bounty hunters (known as Cowboys) on the ship Bebop, who travel the solar system looking for criminals to apprehend for a reward. The main character is Spike Spiegel, a skilled martial artist and former member of the criminal Red Dragon Syndicate. Spike, his friend Jet, and later Faye and Ed (and adorable Corgi Ein), work together to stop everything from major plots to small fry escapees, and while they rarely get paid, they always manage to keep flying.

Cowboy Bebop is almost universally renowned as one of the greatest anime series of all time. Its futuristic setting and quality animation help keep it from looking dated, and the voice acting performances are incredible in both English and Japanese. The series' jazzy music is iconic, and helps with the timeless feeling the show gives off. The story is wonderfully told, and it’s arguably one of the best episodic series ever, anime or not. Its themes of impoverishment and inequality are more relevant today than when it originally aired, and that’s what makes it one of the best anime to age well.

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